On The Town

MR PORTER’s Best-Dressed Men Of 2018

Our roundup of the men who wore it well this year

Words by the MR PORTER team

Let’s face it, 2018 has been completely mad. And not just in current affairs. Men’s fashion was bigger and wilder than ever before, with streetwear, grunge, K-Pop and various other post-modern things exerting a powerful influence on this increasingly diverse field. Therefore, when it came to nominating our snappiest dressers of the year, we thought we would consult a series of individuals on our team for their considered and varied opinions. The result, we feel, somewhat approaches the multiplicity of what’s going on out there. Also, we got to have some fun arguments about it – such things do spice up the water-cooler conversations, which is a real relief at this point in the year.

Mr Riz Ahmed

Actor, rapper and activist Mr Rizwan Ahmed has been a permanent fixture on best-dressed lists over the past few years, thanks to his impressive collection of impeccably cut suits and bomber jackets. This year, however, the actor’s style seems to have grown into something more eclectic. Kurta-style shirts, tailoring in turmeric and salmon-pink hues (see his Jimmy Kimmel Live! interview), Mughal-printed sweatshirts and sustainable clothes by Story MFG are slowly replacing formal navy, blacks and greys on the red carpet. It’s a look that cleverly reflects and fuses together Mr Ahmed’s British-Pakistani heritage, and a look worn with pride, which makes him one of this year’s best-dressed men. Mr Anish Patel, Commissioning Editor, MR PORTER

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Haider AckermannCotton-Canvas Chore Jacket

De Bonne FacturePleated Brushed Wool-Twill Trousers

Mr Donald Glover

Mr Donald Glover, New York, 7 May. Photograph by Shutterstock

Is there anything Mr Donald Glover (actor, director, rapper, wizard) is bad at? His bow, already heavy with strings, can also include that he happens to be one of the best-dressed men in the world (and the best-dressed man in the world according to GQ this year). And he is. Just look at him. This man – with his charming grin, polymathic talents, political nous and gold-embroidered, peak-lapelled mauve Gucci suit that he wore to this year’s Met Gala – looks so good it is actually irritating. Mr Ashley Clarke, Staff Writer, The Daily

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Paul SmithLight-Pink Soho Slim-Fit Wool and Mohair-Blend Suit Jacket

GucciHorsebit Leather Loafers

Key from Shinee

I knew I had reached my limit of jolly drunkenness at our Christmas party this year when our Social Media Writer, Ms Sophie Hay, put a hand on my shoulder and, with a concerned look on her face, said, “You have to stop talking about K-Pop, seriously.” I imagine, therefore, she’ll be terribly bored by the following paragraph, but, oh well. This is Mr Kim Ki-Bum, of the South Korean boy band SHINee, who released his debut solo album, Face, at the end of November and has worn a hell of a lot of Balenciaga this year. My personal favourite was the plastic-coated shirt in the video for the band’s comeback single “Good Evening”. More than that, though, he represents, to me, what’s exciting and inspiring about style in South Korea at the moment – the oversized fits, the multi-layered styling, the constant, dramatic sartorial reinventions. This is a man who quite literally changes his hair colour for every other public appearance. And if you haven’t listened to Key’s “Chemicals”, produced by Skrillex, yet, do yourself a favour and plug in, now. Mr Adam Welch, Editorial Director, MR PORTER

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BalenciagaOversized Layered Two-Tone Cotton-Jersey T-Shirt

Off-WhitePrinted Cotton-Twill Baseball Cap

Mr Vincent Cassel

My wardrobe covers a wide spectrum from navy to, er, dark navy. Maybe a bit of brown. Essentially, I’m a man who prefers what you might call neutrals, and no man wore this magical selection of colours better in 2018 than Mr Vincent Cassel. The outfit above, which he wore to Milan Fashion Week, is a case in point. He takes an incredibly refined palette (grey and blue) and injects a little bit of sartorial wit into it with sporty details, such as side stripes on the trousers and high-top sneakers. But he was at it all year, looking sharp in his tuxedo (black and white) in Cannes and, in his downtime, nailing the off-duty suit (navy and black) with oodles of what I believe the French call insouciance. Mr Ben Palmer, Creative Director, MR PORTER

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DunhillMerino Wool Sweater

IncotexSlim-Fit Stretch-Cotton Corduroy Trousers

Tyler, the Creator

Tyler, the Creator, Los Angeles, 20 March. Photograph by Backgrid

When asked to pick my best-dressed man of 2018, it was always going to be Tyler, the Creator. For me, he embodies a time and place better than any man out there who is at the top of his game, much of which is achieved by the clothes on his back. Streetwear game? Check. Gold teeth? Check. 1950sgolf vibes? Check. It’s the way he throws looks together that consistently brings a smile to my face. It’s loud, eclectic, brave, relevant, progressive and, above all, fun. And we could all do with a bit more fun in our lives. Mr Olie Arnold, Style Director, MR PORTER

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Acne StudiosNeve Appliquéd Wool Cardigan

A.P.C.Petit Standard Slim-Fit Denim Jeans

Mr Héctor Bellerín

Footballers are often associated with brash labels, bling and excess, so there is something unique about a member of that profession who takes a cerebral, informed approach to what he wears. This is exactly the philosophy of Arsenal’s lightning-quick defender Mr Héctor Bellerín. It takes a certain type of man to wear Zimmermann silk pyjamas and Gucci dragon-embroidered Princetown loafers in public. Or in private, for that matter. But that’s exactly what Mr Bellerín is doing in this picture, taken at London Fashion Week earlier this year. If you need more proof of his status as the Premier League’s most stylish player and world football’s hipster-in-chief, take a quick look at his Instagram feed. In a recent post, he was dressed in a bucket hat, wraparound sunglasses and a shell tracksuit jacket with a “scumbro” ’tache to match. He also happens to be a lovely man. Check out our interview with him, here. Mr Tom M Ford, Editor, The Daily

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ZimmerliPrinted Silk-Satin Pyjama Set

GucciPrincetown Horsebit Shearling-Lined Leather Backless Loafers

HRH Prince Charles

The signet ring, the broad-legged trousers and the tie knotted to within an inch of its life – these are the cornerstones, if you like, of the Prince of Wales’ style and what one might call “classic British” style. As he has said himself, “In fashion terms, I’m like a stopped clock. I’m fashionable once every 25 years,” which is exactly why he is a style icon. He is wholly impervious to trends. He dresses like his father and his grandfather dressed before him. It is reassuring, in the same manner as, say, HM the Queen’s unflinching hairdo. What that outfit says, the made-to-measure Anderson & Sheppard suit, the John Lobbshoes, the pocket square and bespoke shirt, is this: quality never goes out of fashion. Mr Samuel Muston, Deputy Editor, MR PORTER

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BoglioliStone Slim-Fit Unstructured Stretch-Cotton Drill Suit Jacket

Persol714 Folding D-Frame Tortoiseshell Acetate Sunglasses

Mr Timothée Chalamet

He may be the youngest in our line-up, but Mr Timothée Chalamet already has a well-established sense of style. Little wonder he’s featured in so many of MR PORTER’s style roundups this year. He’s got a clear preference for tailoring, but isn’t afraid to experiment with textures, patterns and colour. This all-white Berluti suit, paired with polished ankle boots and tousled hair, is a perfect example. What’s so striking about seeing him in this, or in any of his red-carpet outfits, is just how confident and relaxed he appears, despite being at such an early stage in his career. It helps that he’s gorgeous, too. Ms Katie Morgan, Picture Director, MR PORTER

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SALLE PRIVÉEGehry Cotton and Linen-Blend Chinos

BerlutiVenezia Leather Chelsea Boots

The men featured in this story are not associated with and do not endorse MR PORTER or the products shown